Every year, there are always key rookie contributors to dynasty fantasy football teams. With offseason programs starting off rather strangely, perhaps rookies will not acclimate to the pros as quickly as in prior seasons. However, I still believe there are individuals whose talent or situation will allow them to be solid fantasy contributors right off the hop. Here is the 2020 Fantasy Football All-Rookie Team.
QB – Joe Burrow – CIN
This is probably the obvious pick, and not just because Joe Burrow was taken 1st overall during the 2020 NFL Draft. Unlike his fellow quarterbacks selected in the top 10, Burrow is the unquestioned week 1 starter. Now, having a full season to outproduce other rookies is one thing. The real question with Burrow is, can he be a viable starter as a rookie? I say yes. And while I like the weapons he has to throw to, I do worry about the protection that his offensive line will offer him.
Not having enough time to throw is concerning. However, what if a poor offensive line actually leads to better production from Burrow? How is that possible? Well, if Burrow does not have the time to find his receivers, then he may be forced to take off and run in order to avoid sacks. If that is, in fact, the case, Burrow may perhaps produce a consistent floor with his legs. If he happens to score a rushing touchdown or find the endzone through the air, then he will unlock his potential ceiling this season.
RB – Clyde Edwards-Helaire – KC
Again, an obvious call, going with the only 1st-round running back from the NFL Draft. Perhaps even more evident is the truly explosive nature of the Chiefs offense. The potential points scored and red zone trips that this team will likely experience certainly helps the RB corps. Even if Clyde Edwards-Helaire is part of a 50/50 split, his potential to produce will likely make him a viable starter, even in that scenario. Now, in the event that Edwards-Helaire becomes a workhorse as a rookie, he will immediately access the upper echelon of the position.
In my rookie running back evaluation, Edwards-Helaire finished with top 10 scores in elusiveness, contact balance, and burst for this class. Considering this running back group had arguably the most combined talent since 2017, those scores are rather impressive. That combination of skills could lead to Edwards-Helaire getting golden goal-line duties in this Chiefs offense. That alone would make Edwards-Helaire worth his current ADP. However, his biggest strength is probably his route-running and pass-catching ability. On top of anything else, having a back catch passes from the best quarterback in the NFL, is certainly a boost to any player’s stock. Especially when they can excel on passing downs like Edwards-Helaire.
RB – D’Andre Swift – DET
There are several rookie running backs to could easily produce in 2020. Specifically, those that were selected in the 2nd round during the NFL Draft. All of those elite prospects ended up in situations that are crowded. Among them, I see D’Andre Swift as the likeliest to get a major workload. His only competition is Kerryon Johnson, a player with one of the most extensive injury histories in the league.
Based on my evaluation of both players, Swift is a better interior runner, better on the outside or in space, and, especially, a much better pass catcher and route runner. At the very least, Swift should be the 3rd-down back on a team that has a recent history of throwing to the running back. However, if Swift also gets the goal-line role, he will get the majority of the most impactful touches from the backfield. A 200-carry, 50-reception season as a rookie is not out of the question for Swift. If that’s the case, he may be the most productive of all fantasy rookies.
WR – Justin Jefferson – MIN
Justin Jefferson is not the first rookie receiver I would take in rookie drafts. However, I believe that he will outproduce the other wideouts in this 2020 class, at least during their inaugural campaigns. The most glaring reason is the opening in the Vikings wide receiver depth chart due to the departure of Stefon Diggs. While Diggs only saw 94 targets in 2019, that total was at 149 in 2018. Jefferson should certainly see opportunity from the get-go, since Diggs was not adequately replaced elsewhere on the roster.
The other aspect that should elevate the passing volume in Minnesota is the defense. In free agency, they lost all three of their starting cornerbacks, as well as two of their three best pass-rushers. Relying on rookies, especially this year, is not the recipe for success. I expect the Vikings defense to be much more vulnerable, forcing the team into more shootout-like situations. Kirk Cousins only threw 444 times last year. That was a far cry from the 632 pass attempts that he had during his first season in Minnesota. Now, I am not necessarily expecting a return to Cousins’ 2018 passing volume, but a 100 attempt increase seems likely. That type of opportunity bodes well for Jefferson.
WR – Jalen Reagor – PHI
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Jalen Reagor may not have been the highest-rated rookie receiver (since 3 others were selected before him in the NFL Draft). However, he goes to a team with a glaring need at the wide receiver spot. Specifically, the Eagles were looking for a deep threat with speed, burst and good hands. Reagor possesses all of those elements that Philadelphia was so desperately missing in 2019. That sets up the rookie relatively well to crack the starting lineup early in the 2020 campaign.
Not only does Reagor fit a need, but he will also be receiving passes from a quarterback who matches his skill set well. Carson Wentz can throw deep with efficiency. However, especially last season, the lack of a viable threat downfield led Wentz to look towards the tight end position more often. Reagor comes in and should change that almost immediately. Look for his production to take a bump over other rookies simply because of how needy his team is.
TE – None
I know I should probably choose a player, but the truth is, I expect that none of this year’s rookie tight ends will produce very much in 2020. Tight end is one of the most difficult positions to integrate into. Not only do they need to run routes and develop chemistry with their quarterbacks, but they must also get up to speed on blocking assignments. The physical and mental toll that tight ends take on is too much for me to trust any rookie in most seasons. With everything going on with Covid, expect most rookie pass-catchers to take longer than usual to get acclimated to their offenses. Couple that with the fact that this was viewed as a weaker tight end rookie class than recent seasons, and the clear answer is to avoid rookie tight ends this year.
Flex – Cam Akers – LAR
The argument for Cam Akers is very similar to what I wrote about D’Andre Swift earlier. Both backs scored really well in my college film evaluation. Akers and Swift both ranked in the top 6 in each of the following categories: elusiveness, contact balance, and burst. I believe that both are the most talented running backs on their respective teams. However, each situation possesses its own advantages. For Akers that is the fact that there is no established running back who has experience getting a lot of carries. Neither Malcolm Brown nor Darrell Henderson has yet to receive at least 70 rushing attempts in a season.
Furthermore, in a combined 67 NFL games, Brown and Henderson have seen a grand total of 34 targets, basically 2 per game. Again that is combined. While Brown especially has a reputation of being a capable pass-catcher, he has never caught double-digit receptions in any season and only has 1 career receiving touchdown. Akers was a capable passing-down back in college and should be able to adjust to that role rather quickly in the NFL. Perhaps, with two players to surpass instead of one, Cam does not ascend as swiftly as D’Andre. Regardless, I would still count on either to be viable starters throughout 2020.
Thank you for reading this All-Rookie Team article. Be sure to check out all of the great fantasy football content available on Going for 2.
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